Those thumping their chests over the Chargers' plucking of the dreadful J-E-T-S need to get r-e-a-l.

The Chargers' domination near New Jersey's swamps featured little muck. It did produce a nifty flight home, but don't dismiss the turbulence this season brought before tying a bow on it Sunday night.

The Raiders are coming, and are General Manager A.J. Smith and coach Norv Turner going?

No, really.

Is it true the architect and leader of a franchise which is 23-24 since 2010 will absorb a 1-2 punch from Chargers President Dean Spanos?

Yes. And Chargers fans will sing “Hail to The Chief.” But why does Sunday arrive with a heaping of white noise and a side dish of deja vu.

The sounds of silence from Raiders backers would be welcomed by Chargers supporters. But they know what's coming: those black-and-silver lovers will dismiss yet another double-digit loss season by circling back to their three Vince Lombardi Trophies.

That their gaudy hardware is older than Grandma's Christmas fruit cake matters little. The Raiders honks will cite them, which is always a card, when played, the Chargers faithful can't counter.

But Sunday is about looking ahead, instead of looking back. It's about what might be instead of three mediocre years of what was.

It was this time last year that Turner was cooked. The clock had expired on the offensive guru who wore a sparkling Super Bowl ring from his Dallas run.

His Chargers were coming off a must-win loss to the Lions, erasing their playoff hopes. A who-cares finale against the Raiders remained, with speculators setting odds on Turner's replacement.

Then the Black Hole produced a miracle, and it had nothing to do with the Raiders. The Chargers prevailed in convincing fashion and quarterback Philip Rivers took aim at those bashing Turner.

Breaking the tradition that players play, coaches coach, and executives do whatever executives do, Rivers went to bat for Turner.

The longtime Braves fan hit it out of the park, making a plea that Turner should stay. Stay Turner did, and we present a 6-9 record to prove it.

Now, though, Spanos can't ignore his customers' disappointment and the way they show it: by making Qualcomm Stadium as quiet as a church mouse.

We wrote that same paragraph last year. Back when it was a slam dunk that the Turner era was kaput, only to learn the last nail in his Chargers coffin was still protruding.

Rivers had three touchdown passes that New Year's Day, and then clicked on a Hail Mary which saved Turner's hide.

“I hope it's not the end," Rivers said afterward of his partnership with Turner. "I'd be super disappointed."

Rivers' frown flipped when Spanos shocked everyone by retaining Turner. Spanos won't do it again, but again, we have written that sentence before.

The ornery Smith is more at fault than Turner for missing the playoffs for the third straight year. Smith constructed a roster long on promise and short on productivity.

That Rivers was put in harm's way behind that offensive line is a black mark on any general manager's watch.

But before Spanos is inundated with coaching and player-personnel resumes, he needs to reflect on the last three seasons.

A win this Sunday, like the one last Sunday, means little. The big picture that change is needed hasn't changed.

But good luck deciphering Spanos' thought process as we hum “Auld Lang Syne.”

When reflecting on a year ago, it's clear Spanos eyed Turner and skipped the tune's first line: “Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?”